Afternoon Star

Summary:
"I hope you and Edward have a happy life together. Although, I will always be here, ready and fighting. No matter what life path you choose. You will always be my afternoon star. The one that shines the brightest while the rest fades into the light..." Jacob's amazing speech sent shivers down my spine. I had a flashback of my life, if I chose him. The same flashback that stained tears onto his shirt when I kissed him that time before the big battle. I had another flashback of all the good times we spent together. How he patched up my heart, when Edward tore it apart. He was the one that repaired the damage. Now, I was tearing his heart apart. Could I ever fix it?...

Notes:
This is my version of Breaking Dawn. I hope you enjoy it!!! It skips to Chapter 2 - Happy Place. Chapter one was the official chapter that came out with the Eclipse Special Edition.

1. Happy Place

My happy place was… a happy place. Edward in a gorgeous red button-down shirt. Not saying that he doesn’t look beautiful in any other kind of shirt; he could wear torn shirts and pants for all I care, he was still the most beautiful thing I’ve seen. A dinner date. Just like the one we had in Port Angeles, number four on my list of favorite moments. Even though my happy place was just there to satisfy my dreams, I couldn’t help but think about how funny I would look in a big, poofy wedding dress.

“Okay… All done. How do you like it Bella?” Alice sounded satisfied and triumphant. So I took a peek.

“Alice… it’s… extraordinary…” I gasped as I admired my new, white wedding dress. I felt every detail while I curved my hand over the delicate ensemble. Little, materialistic flowers and sequences grazed all over the white, satin.

“I’m glad you like it!” Alice cheered, jumping up and down, clapping her hands like a maniac.

I stared at myself in the mirror, bewildered. A different place entered my mind. I pictured myself in the dress walking down the flowered church isle, Charlie shuffling next to me. Friends and family in the mahogany seats tracing the pathway to my eternal future. I spotted Renee and Phil, in the front row to the left. Renee was filled with tears of joy, but I couldn’t picture Phil’s face. I was way too occupied thinking of Edward to even try to picture his expression.

“Can you at least try to spend a few minutes with me, without thinking of your fiance?” She emphasized the word ‘fiance’ as if she knew I would flinch when I heard the title. And I did flinch.

“Ugh. I can’t and I won’t try.”

“Fine. You can go and see Edward. He’s waiting for you in his room. Pacing at a frequency so fast that in a second or two, the floor is going to break.”

“Yay!” I mocked Alice’s recent maniac move, jumping up and down like a 5 year old girl. Alice raced to get the dress off my squirming body. I was in my original blue jeans and green top in a split second. I loved vampire speed. I just hope that Alice will keep up the pace while she drives me to her house.

We sped halfway down the stairs and then went back to the slow human pace.

“I’m going over to Alice’s house to do more wedding preps!” I shouted to Charlie while I ran down the stairs and towards the door.

“’Kay! But first…” I stopped in my tracks. “Can you guys help me out of this monkey costume please?” Charlie plead.

“How did you get yourself into that mess, Charlie?” Alice giggled next to me. I turned to see what Alice was giggling about. I couldn’t help but let out a huge roar of laughter when I took a clear visual picture of Charlie and burned it into my memory. I don’t want to forget this moment! Charlie was wrapped in weird, abnormal angles with his tux. He looked like a 3 year old that dressed himself for the first time. His navy blue tie was wrapped around his head like a messed up scarf in a windy storm, fluttering in random directions as he tried to loosen himself from the position. The surprising part was that his arms were caught in the blue chaos! How did it get there?

“Can you make me a promise, Dad?” I asked as I tugged his left arm free from the tangle.

“Ouch! Of course, Bells. What is it?”

“Can you promise me that, even though, I’m getting married and leaving for college… You’ll stay the same, 3 year old, overprotective dad?” I joked, pinching his nose playfully.

“Sure. Just as long as you don’t drop out of college and ruin your entire future.” Charlie said, mocking me and pinching my nose, the same way I did to him, with his untangled left hand. I’m really going to miss him.

***

“Edward… Just wondering. Not trying to insult you, or anything. But…” I spoke while he brought me into a hug I was waiting for.

“Love, you must stop pausing in the middle of a worrisome sentence. It’s killing me. Spit it out.” He whispered in my ear.

“Okay… When I went to the gas station, I was just wondering about my car… Four thousand pounds of armor. And missile-proof glass?” I ranted in his chest.

“Well, I already got you to agree to marry me. I don’t want anything explosive to be within 10 feet of you. And if it goes within the 10 feet mark, I want something else to protect you when I’m not around.” I was hoping that it was only a humor-meant sentence. I heard a slight laugh from his chest, but that’s all I heard.

I walked into his huge bedroom, letting go of his firm hug and diving onto his bed. It felt comfortable, when I bounced back into the air. Edward copied my random action and plopped next to me. He wasn’t as heavy as I expected his statue-like body to be. When he landed onto the bed, I barely bounced off the bed. Just a little, unnoticeable jump.

I sighed as I sat up and leaned against the headboard. Edward smoothly rose next to me and wrapped me in his cold arms. I closed my eyes as I put my head on his granite shoulders.

“How did you like your wedding dress?” Edward whispered in my ear.

“It was extremely beautiful.” I responded, keeping my eyes shut.

“How do you like your tuxedo?”

“A little too fancy. I expected the tie to be a little less… impossibly silky.” I giggled at the thought of Edward complaining to the small Alice about the tie.

I sighed.

“What’s on your mind, love?”

“I was just wondering… Will I ever get to chat with my friends and family once I change?” I peered up to see Edward’s expression. It was hard and cold. I was worried. Edward didn’t respond. He just looked deeply into my eyes.

“I didn’t think so…” I said, a pout on my face.

When I looked up again, Edward was still staring at me. My pulse started picking up speed. Am I ever going to get used to his gorgeousness?

Edward kissed me. I could feel the urgency and tension in his lips. I didn’t feel like wrapping my arms around his neck and furthering the kiss like I normally did. He grabbed my wrists and placed them gently on his neck. Did he want me to be my normal self and try to further the kiss? The urgency and tension turned into passion and enthusiasm. It knocked me breathless. Despite my disability of breathing, I tightened my arms around his cold arms and pressed my body against his. He didn’t resist this time.

He placed his arms onto my hips and rocked me until I cooperated and rolled onto my back. His body was hovering over mines, but he didn’t restrain the weight. He was freakishly light. His lips traveled to my ear and spoke “breath.” I obeyed. I exhaled and inhaled his glorious scent. I pulled his face back to mine. His tongue traced my lips. That knocked me breathless again. But I didn’t need reminding to take a breath.

Edward did the most unexpected thing… He took his weight off me and traced my shoulders, slowed over my sides, to my waist and back up again. As he retraced his hand,-he tried made it look like an “accident”-he slipped his thumb under my shirt and brought it up to my ribs. Exposing my stomach.

“Are you agreeing to my orders?” As I spoke, I opened my eyes. His beautiful face filled my sight.

“I’m considering it…” He whispered in a seductive voice.

I couldn’t help myself when my heart raced and I practically melted at his touch.

“But I’m not going to if you keep doing that.” His voice was serious.

“I’m sorry. I’m still human, remember?”

“Mm… can’t we wait until you’re not so breakable? I’m having a hard time resisting myself and keeping myself from killing you.” The last sentence pierced me.

“But It’s not going to be the same.” I said, trying to sound as convincing as I could.

“That’s true. But I’d rather have that then not having you at all.” He sat upright and pulled me onto his lap.

“Ugh. Must everything be so difficult? My choices… Angela doesn’t have to make this decision… Lucky her.” I whined as I snuggled closer to Edward.

“That may be… but little Ben can’t give her the same as I’m giving you.” His voice was teasing. I didn’t understand what he was talking about. I was talking about the choice between being human and not having Edward or having him and go through “damnation.”

“I-” Was all I could say until Alice burst through the door.

“Hey, Bella. Want to come and help me with the decorations?”

“Sure.” I got up and walked towards the hallway. Edward followed me and stuck out his tongue at Alice. Alice stuck out her tongue too. She skipped down the hall and down the stairs.

Alice was still skipping, when we got into her Porsche. As soon as we got into the car, I remembered something vital. Didn’t we already buy all of the decorations yesterday?

“Where are we going?” I asked frantically as I looked out the window.

“Relax, Bella. I just want to give you an early wedding present,” Alice said as she hummed an unfamiliar tune.

I decided to brace myself by cuddling into Edward’s chest. I wonder what she wants to give me…

***

“Alice! I don’t need a cell phone!” I yelled at Alice in a furious voice. Edward rubbed my arm, trying to relax me.

“Oh yes you do. You’re going to need it for tomorrow!” Alice chanted as she slid open a black and white phone that was labeled “Nokia 5300: Xpress Music”.

I looked at my sister-in-law-to-be with a confused expression. “What’s happening tomorrow?”

“Mm…” Alice replied as she set down the phone and skipped around the cell phone counter.

I walked over to the next line of cell phones, unwillingly, the prices were ridiculous. Edward picked up a thick, black block labeled “Sidekick LX”.

“Fine then, Bella. Go pick out your own cell phone.” Alice danced over to the other side of the counter.

Ugh. I gazed at a button-less, black rectangle. “Where is the buttons on this thing?” I asked Edward as I picked up the rectangle, turning it three-sixty, predicting that the buttons were somewhere on the other side.

“It has a touch-screen, Bella,” Edward giggled as he grabbed the iPhone and tapped the screen. It blinked on amazing colors.

“Woah. That is beautiful!” I said, astonished.

“One iPhone, please,” Alice’s small voice took me by surprise.

“What?! Alice! No! You don’t need to get me this very, very expensive phone.” I ranted on.

“What are you talking about Bella? You’re part of the family now. If you like something. You can have it.”

“Ugh. But I don’t know how to work this thing.” I rolled my eyes.

“Er. I could help you with that, miss.” A low, polite voice called from the counter. The salesman taught me how to work the iPhone. It was so amazing. I loved it, but not as much as I loved Edward.

“Oh my gosh! Alice, thank you so much!” I screeched, running up to hug her.

“No problem,… sister. Let me program Edward’s number onto it.” Alice grabbed the phone out of my hands and started touching the screen all over the place. “Here you go,” she handed me the phone. I can’t believe that it’s really mine! “Hey, don’t you want to call Mike and your other friends to hang out tomorrow?” Alice pointed out with a smirk on her face.

“What did you see, Alice?” I felt a reunion coming along.

“Nothing much… Just don’t forget to call Edward once in a while. You don’t want him to get upset with you.” Alice smirked again while Edward stuck out his tongue.

After cell phone shopping, we drove back to my house. I just stared at my brand new iPhone while Edward and Alice chatted about something, unintelligible. I’ll be able to make sense of those chatterboxes in a couple of days. I pushed that thought aside and began focusing on my brand new phone. Who should I call first? Mike? Jessica? Angela? Ben? As usual, we were in the driveway before I could get my thoughts straight. I opened my door and whispered “thanks so much Alice. And Edward, meet you upstairs.”

I jogged up the driveway and sprinted through the door.

“Hey, Dad!”

“Hey there Bells. How did the decorations go?” Charlie didn’t look up from the t.v. I decided to be truthful today.

“Well. We finished early and Alice decided to take me cell phone shopping. Apparently, I have a new iPhone.” I sighed. How was Charlie going to react?

“Wow! An iPhone?! That thing costs a lot! Can I see it?” I passed the shiny rectangle to Charlie. He whistled as he twirled it in his hands. “How can she afford it?” Did I forget to tell Charlie about the whole, “black credit card” thing?

“Didn’t I show you this before?” I asked, confused, as I pulled out my black credit card from my back pocket. I held it up for Charlie to see clearly. His mouth formed a small o. “I guess I didn’t show you it yet.” I muttered while Charlie reached up to touch the card like a little kid reaching for an angel.

“Is there anything else you’d like to show me?” Charlie joked.

“I don’t know… I don’t think I told you about my new car yet…” I guessed again.

“New… car? I knew that the Cullens were rich. But I didn’t know they were this rich. Wait. What kind of car? A Mercedes-Benz?” Charlie accused.

“Almost like a Mercedes-Benz… A Mercedes Guardian.” I shrugged.

“A Guardian?” I bet Charlie was glad that I’m marrying Edward now. “But… those things aren’t even available in Europe yet. Let alone, here.” He sounded like that stranger at the gas station.

“And so I’ve been told.” I muttered. “I’ll fix up your dinner then I’m headed upstairs.” I walked over to the kitchen. I could’ve sworn I heard Charlie say “good choice, kiddo.”

I giggled while I was mixing the spaghetti sauce with the noodles. The way Charlie admired the phone and card reassured me that he was going to have an easier time being nicer to Edward. I finished up the plate and walked over to the dazzled Charlie. He handed me the “treasures” and got up to eat the plate I made for him. “Enjoy!” I yelled as I ran up the stairs.

“Thanks, again, Bells.” Charlie shouted back.

I ran into my room, Edward was rocking back and forth on the chair. I hurried towards the closet and pulled out my favorite sweat pants and t-shirt and jogged to the bathroom. When I finished, I raced back to see my soon-to-be husband. When I entered the room, I stretched out my arms and yawned. Then I cuddled into Edward’s waiting arms.

“Don’t you want to call Newton and tell him to meet you and your other friends at his shop?” Edward whispered in my ear. That was a brilliant idea.

“Wow. Bella. It’s been a long time. What’s up?” His voice was surprised. I couldn’t blame him. It’s been weeks since I talked to him, ever since graduation.

“I was just wondering if you were doing anything tomorrow.”

“Nope. I’m totally free. What did you have in mind?” Mike’s voice sounded excited.

“I was wondering if we could all meet up at your shop in the morning and refresh our memories. I also wanted to see how Angela and Ben are doing.” I giggled at the thought of Shy Angela and Short Ben.

“That’s a great idea. I’ll call Jessica, Tyler, and Eric. You can call Angela, Ben, and Lauren. And for the record, Angela and Ben are going for an one and a half year mark.”

“Deal. I’ll see you guys there at around 11. One and a half?”

“Okay. I’ll see you there. And yes, One and a half.” Mike hung up and I turned to smile at Edward, who was still playing with my hair.

“Don’t forget Alice’s reminder to call me. You don’t want to get worried,” he chuckled.

“Okay. I promise. I guess I should call Angela, Ben, and Lauren now,” I fiddled with my phone in my hands as I yawned. I dialed Angela’s number while Edward was playing with my hair again. I bet myself that I could get him a string for his birthday and he’d be happily occupied with it. I giggled at the thought as I heard Angela and Ben’s voice answer together-I guess I don’t have to call Ben afterwards.

“Hello?” They sounded so cheery together.

“Hey there, Angela and Ben!” I cheered, trying to match they’re mood.

“Hey Bella!” They were still talking at the same time. It was hysterical.

“Do you guys have anything planned for tomorrow?” I was wondering if they were going to answer at the same time again.

“Nope,” and they did answer at the same time.

“Can you guys meet me and the rest of the group at Newton’s Olympic Outfitters at around noon?”

“Sure thing,” they still spoke at the same time.

“Okay, see you there!”

“Bye!” The line went dead.

“It’s amazing how they could talk at the same time for that long.” I giggled to Edward when I hung up the phone.

“Well, I guess that they are just as madly in love as we are,” I could hear the smile in his voice. I smiled at the thought of madly in love.

“Two-in-one down, one more to go,” I heard Edward chuckle at my two-in-one pun.

I held up the rectangle and dialed Lauren’s number by memory.

It rang until the answering machine was activated.

“Hey. You’ve reached Lauren. Sorry I can’t come to the phone right now. So leave a number and a message and I’ll get back to you asap. Bye!”

“Hi Lauren. This is Bella. I was just wondering if you would be available tomorrow at around noon. I want to hang out with you guys again. Meet me at Newton’s Olympic Outfitters tomorrow, if you can. Hope to see you there! Bye.” I tried to sound as happy as possible.

I yawned and wrapped my arms around Edward. I closed my eyes and pictured my happy place again. I can’t wait until tomorrow. Edward started humming my lullaby as I nodded off to dreamland.